The Boss's Choice by Ambrose Bierce
A man is given the opportunity to choose a work from a magical library that can transport him to any time and place in history. He chooses a work about the American Civil War, but when he opens it, he finds himself in the middle of a battlefield, surrounded by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. What do you think this story says about the power of literature?
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1878 · Genre: Satire, Short Stories, Historical Fiction · 133 words
First lines
Listen to his wild romances: He advances foolish fancies, Each expounded as his "view" -- Gu.
In his brain's opacous clot, ah He has got a maggot! What a Man with "views" to overwhelm us! -- Gulielmus.
Hear his demagogic clamor -- Hear him stammer in his grammar! Teaching, he will learn to spell -- Gulielmus L.
Slave who paid the price demanded -- With two-handed iron branded By the boss -- pray cease to dose us, Gulielmus L. Jocosus.
What this Textopian page supports
The Boss's Choice is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1878 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1878 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Short Stories, Historical Fiction, Horror, War & Military
- Length: 133 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Boss's Choice by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Boss's Choice?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is known for his biting wit and satirical writing style, which is prevalent in 'THE BOSS'S CHOICE'.
- Short Stories — Bierce is well-known for his concise and compelling short stories. 'THE BOSS'S CHOICE' fits into this category.
- Historical Fiction — 'THE BOSS'S CHOICE' is set during the specific historical period of the American Civil War which places it into the Historical Fiction genre.
- Horror — Ambrose Bierce's stories often contain elements of the ghastly or macabre, and 'THE BOSS'S CHOICE' is not an exception.
Tags
mystery · thriller · suspense · detective · crime · fiction · literature · classic · american · gothic · horror · supernatural